1, Field
The invention relates generally to waste treatment, and more particularly to methods of and systems for treating incinerated waste.
2, Related Art
Incineration of waste, such as municipal solid waste for example, may alleviate demands for landfills and for other ways of disposing of such waste. Incineration of waste in an incinerator generally produces: (1) flue gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor for example; (2) fly ash, which escapes up a chimney of the incinerator; and (3) bottom ash, which collects on an incineration grate of the incinerator. Some or all of the bottom ash may be disposed of in a landfill, but doing so increases demands for landfills, which may be restricted in some areas, and metal from bottom ash disposed of in a landfill may pollute nearby water sources for example. Also, some or all of the bottom ash may be treated for use in various applications such as manufacture of concrete products for example. However, metal from bottom ash in concrete products may oxidize over time, causing gaseous hydrogen to be produced in the concrete products and potentially damaging the concrete products.